


A Souvenir from Home

by WishStone



Category: Persona 4
Genre: F/M, KanNao without Kan, Leave-Taking, kannao - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 11:24:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5246543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishStone/pseuds/WishStone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Naoto prepares to leave Inaba, unsure if she will return, she visits a place of comfort one last time.</p><p>As always, normal Naoto spoilers apply, this will ruin the game till late September.</p><p>Set in the universe of  the Comfort/Trust/Resolve saga by Team AtelierMuse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Souvenir from Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KrisRix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisRix/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Trust (+Comfort) Compilation](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/156353) by KrisRix and Simon Gannon. 



> This was written as a birthday gift to the most charming KrisRix, and while he and SimonG didn't exactly write this fic, it would not have happened without their works Comfort, Trust, and Resolve. (AND, now live, the web comic 'Convection'! Head on over to http://www.ateliermuseproductions.com/webcomics/convection/ to catch it.
> 
> The story was directly sparked by their dōjin "Trust", which I warmly recommend to all of us KanNao afflicted.

"Good Afternoon. Please pardon the intrusion."  
  
The elder Tatsumi looked up from her work and smiled. "Naoto-san! Please, please come on in. Welcome!" She stayed knelt and bowed to her.  
  
Naoto smiled and bowed low in return. "How does the day find you, Tatsumi-sama? And, please, it is Naoto- _kun_. You have met me often enough now I would think."  
  
Naoto had visited frequently since that winter night. Part of her did not understand why, as Kanji oscillated from painfully-awkward to shockingly bold in his interactions with her. Sometimes he would be unable to speak a single sentence while she chatted with Rise-chan or his mother lightly; other days he would stutter out an invitation to go to the shrine or see if anyone was in town who'd like to stop by Aiya. And even after all this time she was unsure how it made her feel.  
  
However, she really liked Tatsumi-sama. Something about the polite manners and the polished, fine femininity of the woman spoke to Naoto at a deeper level and sometimes made her wish she'd look as refined when in traditional female clothing. Not exposed and awkward, as she sadly usually found herself. Another reason why she did not own a kimono. The _yukata_ she wore during the summer festival had been a loan from Yukiko-san.  
  
The lady tailor nodded politely. "As you wish, dear. Naoto-kun it is. I am well, thank you. But, I am sorry, Kanji-chan just left on an errand for me..."  
  
The young detective's smile melted a little. "I ... I know, thank you. I just ..."  _Just what, Shirogane?_  Just spend an hour outside, hidden between the buildings on the other side of the street, waiting for Kanji to do his weekly errant run so she knew he was not home? Just made sure to watch him walk well down the street before crossing and walking inside herself?  _Just what was it you actually wanted?_ "I just, while packing, you see, just remembered I promised to bring along a souvenir. For my Grandfather." She toyed with her collar as she pieced together her halting reply.  
  
Tatsumi-sama looked surprised. "Oh! Well, did you have something specific in mind?"  
  
Naoto nodded. "Yes." This was the easy bit. "As I sadly do not know his measurements or his preferred style of clothing, I thought I would bring him one of these...?" She pointed with her open hand at the rack filled with stuffed plush and knit animals of various sizes.  
  
"Oh, how thoughtful of you. Please, take your time. We have a big selection. And maybe Kanji will be done sooner today and come back before you leave, yes?"  
  
"Ah? Yes... that would be ... that would be nice, of course." In other words, she would be best advised to be speedy about this. Kanji's mother smiled warmly once more before turning back to resume her work.  
  
The young detective found that she had been spending way too much time thinking of Kanji-kun; more than she realized, more than she felt comfortable with, or felt she could admit to herself. Moving away now would help with this. She had spent a few weeks of slowly distancing herself from him and the others, easing herself and them into the understanding that their friendships might be at an end once she moved away.  
  
But in the dark, lying in bed alone in the late hours, she sometimes remembered that cold December night. And the frigid temperature was not the only thing that had made it cold. Her heart felt cold, having very nearly assisted in murder of the first degree. Cold over Nanako-chan's death. Cold about her sudden recovery, even.  
And then there appeared Kanji Tatsumi, out of nowhere. He, who seemed to have a knack in finding her. Finding her fears and wounds, too, and often placing an honest and unpleasant finger right to the subject at hand. He found her, silently wept with her... and as if that had established their common need for comfort, he brought her to his home and insisted neither of them would spend that night alone.   
  
Why she had insisted to have him sleep next to her, why she felt that need of having him that unbearably close, she still had not understood. It must have been the emotional turmoil she was under that night.  
  
Since that night, she also kept seeing the cute stuffed plush bunny on his bed in her minds' eye. And, when she was not careful, felt the ghost of his fingers linking between hers...  
  
Naoto shook her head and re-focused on the rack of soft toys before her. She could not explain why, but she wanted something he made. Possibly as a memento of the things she was about to abandon here in Inaba. Perchance as a good luck charm. Maybe just as a piece of her adolescence and innocence that would never return.  
  
None of the bunnies on the rack appealed to her. They lacked the hearts on their paws, a detail she remembered so strongly that the other bunnies looked barren without them.  
  
And then she saw the small phone charm. Naoto reached for it, gently placing her hand behind it as she inspected it.  
  
A penguin. He had talked to her so often about the 'hidden animal' in the animal crackers, always making sure she remembered to check each piece for the elusive penguin when they shared a snack. It was tiny. It was cute.   
  
It was, frankly, perfect.  
  
She picked it up and walked back to the elder Tatsumi. "This, I believe. It is.. the least childish. Do you think he will appreciate it?" She was telling lies, she knew. She also had a feeling that the flush creeping onto her face and the knowing smile of Tatsumi-sama made the lie clear as day.  
  
"I believe it is perfect, Naoto-kun." She made a small motion with her hand. "Please, accept it as a gift."  
  
Naoto felt all blood draw from her cheeks as she paled. "N-no, I cannot-"  
  
"Please. From me. As a ... as a greeting to your Grandfather." The smile grew and she held up a hand to briefly cover her lips. She knew for certain.  
  
Naoto looked down at the charm in her hand and tucked on her cap. "Please. I do not want Kanji-kun to know I bought this. I wanted to depart with as little distraction to my friends as possible."  
  
The seamstress removed her hand to show a smaller smile curving up her lips. "I understand. Please, do take it. And make sure to bring it with you, when you come to visit. It should not miss its brothers and sisters so much if you do."  
  
Her eyes tingling uncomfortably, Naoto dipped into a sharp bow. "Thank you, Tatsumi-sama."  
  
When Naoto straightened, the woman had bowed low and remained that way, allowing the younger woman to depart before seeing her tears.


End file.
